Born as Pauline Radzinski in Toronto, Ontario, Canada,[6] she attended Central Commerce High School and Brown's Business College.
[7] Caliguiri was serving as President of Pittsburgh City Council and became mayor when Peter Flaherty was appointed Deputy Attorney General of the United States in the Jimmy Carter Presidential Administration.
Future mayor Sophie Masloff, the only other female on council at the time, did not attend, and later commented to the press: "What the hell do I care about her toilet?
After the tax raised $1,542.15 ($4,868.9 today) in a short time, she challenged DePasquale to make good on his promise by waiting for him under the Kaufmann's Clock with a dozen reporters and 100 on-lookers on January 24, 1983.
[17] In 1984 she loudly excoriated councilman Steve Grabowski after he was the lone vote against a law increasing parking garage safety in the city, by exclaiming "Shame on you!
"[18] During the March, 1986 council vote to have the city sell bonds worth $21 million to save the Pittsburgh Pirates, Madoff claimed she was "threatened with impeachment".